Authentication refers to the identification of certain characteristics of the object, individual or organization. This confirmation is usually (but not always) provided by some form of external review, education, evaluation or audit. Certification is the certification process of a specific organization. According to the requirements of the National Council of educational measurement, certification test is a kind of qualification test, which is used to determine whether an individual has enough knowledge in a given professional field and can be marked as "capable practice" in this field

In modern society, one of the most common types of certification is professional certification, which usually means to prove that someone is competent for a certain job or task through examination and / or completion of learning courses. Some professional certifications also require work experience in related fields before they can be awarded. Some professional certifications will be valid for life after all certification requirements are completed. Others expire after a certain period of time and must be maintained through further education and / or testing.

In a major, the certificate may vary depending on the level of expertise or specific area of reference. For example, in the IT industry, software testers, project managers, and developers can use different certifications. In addition, the Joint Committee of ophthalmic full-time medical personnel provides three certifications in the same industry, but it is becoming more and more complex.

Certification does not mean that a person has sufficient knowledge in a subject area, only that they have passed the exam.

Certification does not refer to the status of being able to practice or work legally. That's permission. In general, for public protection purposes, licenses are managed by government entities, while professional associations manage certification. Licensing and certification are similar because they all need to demonstrate a certain level of knowledge or competence.

Another common type of certification in modern society is product certification. This is a process designed to determine whether a product meets minimum standards, similar to quality assurance. There are different certification systems in each country. In Russia, for example, it is gost R rostest.